Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik introduced the e-Market platform for SHG products and declared that every district in the state will have a Mission Shakti Bhawan to promote the empowerment movement and boost the rural economy.
Naveen announced a plethora of initiatives, including the construction of Mission Shakti Bhawan at the state level and in all districts, each of which will receive Rs 1 crore for infrastructure. “Launched 20 years ago, the mission has become a huge movement for 70 lakh women across the state. Odisha is the only state which has created a separate Mission Shakti department. Every panchayat will have a Mission Shakti house where women members can exchange ideas and discuss their future strategy,” he said.
The Chief Minister stated that 21 departments have begun offering work to Mission Shakti organisations as a result of the Cabinet's decision to provide Rs 5,000 crore in yearly business to the Mission Shakti companies. “Besides, loans worth around Rs 6,000 crore have been disbursed to the groups so far this financial year and interest subvention of Rs 200 crore released,” Naveen said, thanking banks for stepping forward to help the groups.
He lay the cornerstone for the Mission Shakti market at the SIRD campus in Bhubaneswar, emphasising the importance of proper SHG marketing. The e-Market platform created for this reason would allow Mission Shakti members to sell their items all over the world and get a good price for them. According to him, Mission Shakti marketplaces will be put up all throughout the state.
In order to financially empower women, self-help group bank partners would be given responsibility in communities where there is no banking facility. The department has been directed to meet with the women members on a regular basis and resolve their difficulties as soon as possible, according to the Chief Minister.
Minister Tukuni Sahu was in attendance, as were Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, 5T Secretary VK Pandian, and Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Department Sujata R Karthikeyan.
